The Concept Comparison Routine The Content Enhancement Series 2015 California State University, Fullerton Adrian Jung, Ph.D. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

Content Enhancement A way of teaching an academically diverse group of students in which: Both group and individual needs are valued and met; The integrity of the content is maintained; University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

Content Enhancement A way of teaching an academically diverse group of students in which: Critical features of the content are selected and transformed in a manner that promotes student learning; and Instruction is carried out in a partnership with students. University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002

Guidebooks in the Content Enhancement Series Routines for planning and leading learning Course Organizer Routine Unit Organizer Routine Lesson Organizer Routine

Guidebooks in the Content Enhancement Series Routines for exploring text, topics, and details Clarifying Routine Framing Routine Survey Routine The ORDER Routine

Guidebooks in the Content Enhancement Series Routines for teaching concepts Concept Anchoring Routine Concept Comparison Routine Concept Mastery Routine

Guidebooks in the Content Enhancement Series Routines for enhancing performance Quality Assignment Routine Question Exploration Routine Recall Enhancement Routine Vocabulary LINCing Routine

Understanding the Challenge of Diversity Introduction of difficult but important concepts requires creating connections to background knowledge. Increased student diversity results in varying levels and types of background knowledge.

Understanding the Challenge of Diversity Students need new ways of thinking about critical concepts and relationships between concepts. Teachers can take advantage of student diversity by comparing concepts from different perspectives.

Responding to the Challenge The Concept Comparison Routine helps students to: Focus on key concepts. Focus attention on similarities and differences between known concepts. Understand the usefulness of higher-order categories in understanding and learning.

Responding to the Challenge The Concept Comparison Routine helps students to: Develop ways to explain and summarize similarities and differences between concepts. Remember a way to compare and contrast known concepts.

Responding to the Challenge The Concept Comparison Routine helps students to: Interact with the teacher and other students to explore and understand relationships between concepts. Record information for later studying and use.

The Comparison Table Teaching Device Is a visual device that: is used under teacher guidance; focuses careful attention on more than one concept; identifies relevant features of each concept;

The Comparison Table Teaching Device Is a visual device that: prompts analysis of similarities and differences of relevant features; helps students summarize relationships between concepts; helps identify higher-order categories related to the relevant concepts;

The Comparison Table Teaching Device Is a visual device that: is designed to enhance student... understanding of concept relationships, remembering of ways to think about new, difficult information, responses to evaluation tasks and activities, and belief in the value of the content.

Comparison Table Comparison Table C O M P A R I N G C O M P A R I N G 1 Concept 2 Overall Concept 3 Characteristics 4 Like Characteristics 9 Extensions Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics C O M P A R I N G 5 Like Categories 7 Unlike Categories 6 Unlike Characteristics 8 Summary Comparison Table 1 Concept 2 Overall Concept 3 Characteristics 4 Like Characteristics 9 Extensions Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics C O M P A R I N G 5 Like Categories 7 Unlike Categories 6 Unlike Characteristics 8 Summary VERTEBRATES Mammals Birds Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Hair Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. How they travel. What covers their bodies. How young are born. Birds and mammals are two vertebrates that are alike with regard to how their body temperature is regulated, where the live and how their bodies are supported. They are different in terms of what covers their bodies and how they travel from one place to another. They are also different in terms of how their young are born.

Comparison Table 1. The Known Concepts Represents the names of the G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table 1. The Known Concepts Represents the names of the Known Concepts to be explored in the lesson.

Comparison Table 2. The Overall Concept Represents the name of the G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 3 Characteristics 2. The Overall Concept Represents the name of the larger group within which the targeted concepts fit. 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table

Comparison Table 3. Characteristics of Concepts G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table 3. Characteristics of Concepts Describe the characteristics or distinguishing traits of the concepts to be explored

Those qualities or attributes that the targeted concepts M P A R I N G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 4. Like Characteristics Those qualities or attributes that the targeted concepts have in common. 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone

categories to which the Like Characteristics belong M P A R I N G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 5. Like Categories The larger groups or categories to which the Like Characteristics belong 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone

6. Unlike Characteristics Characteristics of the targeted concepts that are related yet not shared 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone 6 Unlike Characteristics 6 Unlike Characteristics 7 Unlike Categories Most fly Feathers Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Hair Most young born live How they travel. What covers their bodies. How young are born. Summary 8 Birds and mammals are two vertebrates that are alike with regard to how their body temperature is regulated, where the live and how their bodies are supported. They are different in terms of what covers their bodies and how they travel from one place to another. They are also different in terms of how their young are born.

Larger groups or categories to which the Unlike 7. Unlike Categories Larger groups or categories to which the Unlike Characteristics belong. 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone 6 Unlike Characteristics 6 Unlike Characteristics 7 Unlike Categories Most fly Feathers Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Hair Most young born live How they travel. What covers their bodies. How young are born. Summary 8 Birds and mammals are two vertebrates that are alike with regard to how their body temperature is regulated, where the live and how their bodies are supported. They are different in terms of what covers their bodies and how they travel from one place to another. They are also different in terms of how their young are born.

An understanding of the similarities and differences 8. Summary An understanding of the similarities and differences between concepts that can either: explain how the concepts are alike or different in terms of named categories, alike or different in terms of both characteristics and categories, or raise questions or list insights gained from the comparison. 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone 6 Unlike Characteristics 6 Unlike Characteristics 7 Unlike Categories Most fly Feathers Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Hair Most young born live How they travel. What covers their bodies. How young are born. Summary 8 Birds and mammals are two vertebrates that are alike with regard to how their body temperature is regulated, where the live and how their bodies are supported. They are different in terms of what covers their bodies and how they travel from one place to another. They are also different in terms of how their young are born.

Comparison Table 9. Extensions An assignment on key Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 9. Extensions An assignment on key information related to the targeted concepts that prompts further exploration or study. 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table

The Comparing Linking Steps Guide the teacher to: present the Comparison Table effectively; involve students in constructing and using the Comparison Table; investigate the relationship between concepts; and focus student attention on learning.

The COMPARING Linking Steps Communicate Targeted Concepts. Obtain the Overall Concept. Make Lists of Known Characteristics. Pin Down Like Characteristics. Assemble Like Categories. Record Unlike Characteristics. Identify Unlike Categories. Nail Down a Summary. Go Beyond the Basics.

These steps guide the teacher during the in-class, O M P A R I N G Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics 2 Overall Concept VERTEBRATES 1 Concept 1 Concept Birds Mammals 3 Characteristics 3 Characteristics 9 Extensions The Linking Steps These steps guide the teacher during the in-class, interactive presentation of the Comparison Table. The teacher prepared a draft of the Comparison Table in advance of the lesson, but the final version is co-constructed with the students during class. These steps are cued by the acronym COMPARING. Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Warm-blooded Live worldwide Hair Backbone Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table 4 Like Characteristics 5 Like Categories How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. Warm-blooded Live worldwide Backbone

Checking the Names of the Overall & Targeted Concepts Try to make a statement like: “By understanding the economic conditions in the North in 1860 and the economic conditions in the South in 1860 (concepts being compared), we can understand the economic causes of sectionalism in the U.S. (Overall Concept).” “Fish and mammals (concepts being compared) are two kinds of vertebrates (Overall Concept).”

Checking the Names of the Overall & Targeted Concepts Try to make a statement like: “Comedy and tragedy (concepts being compared) are two forms of drama (Overall Concept).”

Comparison Table Overall Concept Concept Characteristics Extensions 2 Overall Concept Concept 3 Characteristics 8 Extensions 4 Like Characteristics 6 Unlike Characteristics Summary 5 Like Categories 7 Unlike Categories

Multiple-Concept Comparison Table, p. 1 2 Overall Concept 1 Concept 3 Characteristics Multiple-Concept Comparison Table, p. 1 Steps 1-3 of the Concept Comparison Routine Steps 1: communication Targeted Concepts Steps 2: Obtain the Overall Concept Steps 3: Make lists of Known Characteristics

Multiple-Concept Comparison Table, p. 2 4 Like Characteristics Multiple-Concept Comparison Table, p. 2 Steps 4 -9 of the Concept Comparison Routine Steps 4: Pin down Like Characteristics Steps 5: Assemble Like Categories Steps 6: Record Unlike Characteristics Steps 7: Identify Unlike Categories Steps 8: Nail down a Summary Steps 9: Go beyond the Basics 5 Like Categories 6 Unlike Characteristics 7 Unlike Categories 9 Extensions 8 Summary

Comparison Table C O M P A R I N G VERTEBRATES Mammals Birds Most fly 1 Concept 2 Overall Concept 3 Characteristics 4 Like Characteristics 9 Extensions Communicate Targeted Concepts Obtain the Overall Concepts Make lists of Known Characteristics Pin down Like Characteristics Assemble Like Categories Record Unlike Characteristics Identify Unlike Categories Nail Down a Summary Go Beyond the Basics C O M P A R I N G 5 Like Categories 7 Unlike Categories 6 Unlike Characteristics 8 Summary VERTEBRATES Mammals Birds Most fly Warm-blooded Live worldwide Feathers Backbone Young hatch from eggs Most travel by foot Hair Most young born live Explore how many heart chambers birds and mammals have, and enter the information on the table How body temperature is regulated. Where they live. How their bodies are supported. How they travel. What covers their bodies. How young are born. Birds and mammals are two vertebrates that are alike with regard to how their body temperature is regulated, where the live and how their bodies are supported. They are different in terms of what covers their bodies and how they travel from one place to another. They are also different in terms of how their young are born.

University of Kansas Center for Research on Learning 2002